beemer



PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904.

- M. w. 'BEEMER.

AMUSEMENT ANDADVBBTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented January 12, 1904:.

MILES W. BEEMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AMUSEMENT AND ADVERTISING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,657, dated January 12, 1904.

Application filed January 5 1903.

To all whmn it may concern;

Be it known that I, MILES W. BEEMER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county,5and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Amusement and Advertising Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device adapted to attract attention for advertising purposes and which device may also be employed as a highgrade toy or article of amusement.

The device comprising my invention consists of a miniature lighthouse surmounting a base having the appearance of rocks. At the upper end of the lighthouse is a fixed transparent cylinder of glass and within the lighthouse there is a small incandescent electric lamp, a movable cylinder of red glass, and devices actuated by a motor for raising and lowering the red glass, so that in the structure it is possible to show either a steady white or red light or alternate red and white lights or flashes of either color. I also provide devices actuated by the motor for sounding a horn in imitation of a fog-horn and other devices for striking a bell or alarm. The motor may be of any desired construction; but I have shown and prefer to employ a clockwork mechanism manually wound. The light may be produced by batteries, or the motor may be electrically operated and the electric lamp be connected for use in a light-cirouit.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section illustrating the devices of my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a detached portion of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan of the motor device and connected parts. Fig. 4 is an elevation and partial section looking from the right-hand of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a portion of the mechanism. Figs. 1 and 2 are on the same scale, and Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are on an exaggerated scale for clearness.

(0 represents the lighthouse-tower, b a support or imitation-rock base, 0 a cylinder of transparent glass at the upper end of the tower beneath the roof of the tower and adjacent to a miniature balcony. The incandescent electric lamp d is provided with a suit- Serial No. 137,836- (No model.)

able support upon a platform 0. across the upper end of the "tower, and 6 represents a cylinder of colored glass, preferably red, and e a support or bed for said cylinder.

f represents the motor. This Ihave shown as a clockwork mechanism, the train of gears and devices connected therewith being actuated by a spring; but any form of motor desired may be adapted for this device, and I do not in any respect limit myself to the form of motor.

g represents a battery, it a gong or bell, and the entire mechanism is adapted to be received within the tower and beneath the imitationrock base, so as to be concealed from view.

2' represents a horn at the upper end of a pipe 22, the horn being above the rock base and the pipe projecting through the same.

is is a frame of rods connected at their lower ends by a bearing and at their upper ends extending through the platform a to connection with the support or bed 6' of the colored glass. This part or base 6 and the cylinder of colored glass 0 are raised and lowered by this frame of rods k, and the conductor-wires 17 and 18 are'at one end connected to the incandescent electric light and at their other ends to a binding-post of the motor and to the battery, respectively.

On a pivot 2 of the motor is a rocker-bar Z. This at one end carries an adjustable weight 3, and on the other side of the pivot said bar carries a roller 4:, and on the extreme end of the said rocker-bar Z-that is, the end opposite to the end carrying the weight 3-is connected the pivoted union of the frame 70, and by the swinging movement imparted to this rockerbar Zthe said frame It is raised and lowered, and with it, as hereinbefore described, the support or bed 6' and the cylinder 6 of colored glass.

0 represents a main shaft of the motor structure. On this shaft is a cam-disk d, a clutch formed of the parts 5 6, a helical spring 7, and a head 8. The head 8 is fast on the shaft. The part 5 of the clutch is also fast on'the shaft; but the part 6 and the cam-disk d, which are connected, are loose upon the shaft, and the spring 7 comes between the cam-disk d and the head 8 to bring the parts of the gether, so as to compel the cam-disk d to turn clutch to- IOO with the shaft, or in a different position said spring 7 and a coacting annulus 0, hereinafter described, together hold the cam-disk d frictionally in a state of rest.

On the free end of the motor-shafts is a circuit-maker f. This is of a double-eccentric or oval form, the opposite points of which with each half-revolution of the shaft 0 come in contact with the spring 9, secured to the base of the mechanism. This spring 9 at its contact with the base is provided with a contact-plate 11. I provide a reciprocating plate m, having a contact-arm m at right angles thereto, and this plate is slotted, and there aretwo screws passing through the slots to hold the plate down in position to the bed, and an operating-rod 10 is employed for imparting to this plate a reciprocating movement.

The electric wire 17, which extends down from the electric lamp d, is connected by a screw to this plate m, and on the base to which these parts are connected I provide a contactplate 12. The contact-plates 11 and 12, as will be seen from Figs. 3 and 4, are on the same plane and in line with one another, but

separated by a gap that is of slightly greater In the posi width than the contact-arm m. tion of the parts Fig. 3 the arm m is beneath the plate 12, and consequently in electrical contact therewith. In the opposite position of the plate m the arm m passes from beneath the plate 12 to and beneath the plate 11, establishing electrical contact therewith. The electric wire 16 passes from the bracket 13, to which the electric wire 15 is also connected, and extends to the contact plate 12. The bracket 13 is not only connected to the base to which the other mechanism is secured, but it is also connected to the motor-frame.

I provide a ring structure or annulus 0, surrounding the shaft 0 and having a surface in a vertical plane contacting with a surface of the cam-disk d. This annulus 0 is provided with an arm 0, pivoted to a base block or part of the machine, and I provide a push-bar 14, connected to the arm 0 and which passes through the machine and, like the operatingrod 10, as seen in Fig. 3, passes outside of the rock base Z) to be manually operated so as to separate the clutch parts and move the one clutch part and cam-disk along upon the shaft 0, compressing the spring 7 and holding the cam-disk d frictionally in the desired position of rest.

Z is the winding-shaft of the spring for the motor, and this also extends through and outside of the rock base 6 to be manually operated. I provide a hammer in, adapted to strike the gong or bell it. This hammer is provided with an arm pivoted to a supporting-standard 20, and the arm is provided with a cam 19, and a spring secured to the standard acts with downward force upon the hammer-wire. (See Fig. 2.) A disk n, secured upon the shaft 0', is provided witha series of equidistant apertures, and a series of pins 21 is located in said apertures and have heads resting against the surface of the disk a distant from the cam 19, and I provide a clamp-disk 12 loose upon the shaft 0, while the disk 7 is secured thereto. A nut or other device screwing upon the outer end of the shaft 0' bears against the disk 97/ to hold the pins 21 by their head portions in a fixed relation to the disk n. These parts are shown plainly in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. This disk nrotates in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, and the pins 21 as the same progressively turn raise the hammer h, so that the same descends and strikes the gong or bell 7i, sounding an alarm. I have shown nine of these pins, but do not limit myself to the number employed in connection with the disk it nor to the number which may be used at any one time, as all the pins but one may be removed, or, for instance, there may be three pins at equidistant points, so as to impart three strokes to the gong with each movement of the shaft 0.

I further employ a shaft 1" of the motorframe,on the free end of which is a rotary tappet r. A bellows 8 is secured to a bracket of the motor-frame, and to the upper member of the bellows is connected a pipe 22, extending to the horn 2'. The lower or hinged member of the bellows projects toward the tappet 1", and I employ a spring 23 beneath the movable part of the bellows and resting upon a bracket of the motor-frame. The tappet r as the same rotates with the shaft 1* moves the lower member of the bellows downward, filling the bellows with air, and as the tappet passes off the spring 23 returns the movable part to a normal position, forcing the air of the bellows through the pipe 22 and emitting a sound from the horn '5.

Referring to the structure Fig. 3in connection with the operation of the device, while the parts are in theposition shown the current from the battery 9 or other source of electric energy passes by the wire 15, bracket 13, wire 16, plate 12, reciprocating plate m, wire 17 to the light, returning by the wire 18 to the battery or source of electric energy. In the opposite position ofthe reciprocating plate m the current passes from the battery 9 or other source of energy by the wire 15, bracket 13, the frame of the motor, the shaft 0 the circuit-maker f in its revolution, from it by the contact-spring 9 to the plate 11, the recip rocating plate m, the wire 17 to the light, and from the light by the wire 18, returning to the battery or other source of electric energy. With the first of these movements described a steady light is imparted to the incandescent electric lamp, while by the latter of the operations described a flashing light is effected. Either a steady light or a flashing light may be employed with the transparent glass 0 or the colored glass 6, while with a light of two colors, effected by the progressive raising and lowering of the cylinder 6, it is preferable to employ a flashing light.

While I have shown this lighthouse-tower and the devices for operating the light as connected to an imitation-rock base, I do not limit myself in this particular, as the said tower may be placed upon a boat or ship of any description to be floated and the mechanism be placed in the hold of such vessel. The structure illustrated and described may be placed upon a suitable base and serve as a high-grade toy, or the said device may be employed in store-windows for advertising purposes, the illumination or flashing of the light attracting the attention of passers-by not only to the structure, but to any advertising matter employed in connection therewith, and which advertising matter may be associated with the rock base or adjacent thereto, and while the structure may be of the size suitable for a high-class toy it may be made of any size desired for the purpose intended. Furthermore, I do not limit myself to employing the operating mechanism in the rock base or in the hold of a ship or other vessel, as the same may be placed elsewhere in proximity to the lighthouse-tower and the light-giving devices to be operated.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a lighthouse-tower, a support therefor, a cylinder of transparent material at the upper end of the tower, an incandescent electric lamp adjacent thereto, and a support for the lamp, ofa cylinder ofcolored material above said support, a motor device, devices actuated by said motor for raising and lowering the said cylinder of colored material, and coacting devices for maintaining said cylinder in a depressed or elevated position.

2. The combination with a lighthouse-tower, a support for the same, a cylinder of transparent material at the upper end of the tower, an incandescent electric lamp adjacent thereto, and a support for the lamp, of a cylinder of colored material above said support, a motor device, an alarm device and devices actuated by said motor for raising and lowering the said cylinder of colored material and for sounding the alarm.

3. An amusement or advertising device comprising a lighthouse-tower and a suitable support for the same, a cylinder of transparent material at the upper end, of an incandescent electric lamp within the upper end of the tower, a support for the said lamp, electric wires and suitable devices for illuminating the lamp, a cylinder of colored material surrounding the support of the lamp, devices adapted to periodically raise and lower said cylinder of colored material or support the same in an elevated position, and a gong and hammer device for sounding an alarm and a horn structure to be sounded in imitation of a fog-horn,

and a motor device for actuating said latter devices .and for raising and lowering the cylinder of colored material.

4. The combination with a lighthouse-tower, a support therefor, a cylinder of transparent material at the upper end of the tower, an in candescent electric lamp adjacent thereto, and a support for the lamp, of a cylinder of colored material above said support, a motor device, a rocker-bar, a connection from one end of the rocker-bar to the support of the cylinder of colored material, a camdisk on the shaft of the motor device acting upon said rocker-bar for raising and lowering the said cylinder of colored material, and coacting devices for maintaining the cylinder of colored material in a depressed or elevated position.

5. The combination with a lighthouse-tower, a support therefor, a cylinder of transparent material at the upper end of the tower, an incandescent electric lamp adjacent thereto, and a support for the lamp, of a cylinder of colored material above said support, a motor device, a rocker-bar, a connection from one end of the rocker-bar to the support of the cylinder of colored material, a cam-disk on the shaft of the motor device acting upon said rocker-bar, a clutch on said motorshaft, which, when in engagement, compels the camdisk to turn with the shaft for progressively raising and lowering the cylinder of colored material so as to cause an alternate white and red light to be visible, a device manually operated for disengaging the clutch, and a spring upon said shaft coacting with this disengaging device for frictionally holding the cam-disk with the cylinder of colored material in a depressed or elevated position, whereby a steady white or steady colored light is visible.

6. The combination with a lighthouse-tower, a support therefor, a cylinder of transparent glass at the upper end of the tower, an incandescent electric lamp adjacent thereto and a support for the lamp, of a cylinder of colored glass above said support, a motor device, a rocker-bar, a connection from one end of the rocker-bar to the support of the cylinder of colored glass, a cam-disk on the shaft of the motor device acting upon said rocker-bar, a two-part clutch, one end fast on the shaft of the motor, and the other secured to the camdisk and therewith loose on the motor-shaft, a head on the motor-shaft, and a spring between the' head and the surface of the camdisk opposite the clutch, an annulus surrounding the clutch device and bearing upon the surface of the cam-disk, and a pivoted arm therefor, a push-bar connected thereto and manually operated to separate the parts of the clutch, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination with a lighthouse-tower, a suitable base, a cylinder of transparent glass at the upper end, an adjacent incandescent electric lamp, and a support therefor, of a cylinder of colored glass surrounding the support of the lamp, a frame supporting said cylinder, guide-rods connected to said frame, a motor and devices actuated thereby for raising and lowering said cylinder of colored glass or for holding the same in a depressed or elevated position, a reciprocating plate to which one wire of the lamp is connected, a source of electric energy to which the other wire is connected, a contact-bracket connected to the frame of the motor and to which a wire from the source of electric energy extends, a contact-plate for an electric wire from the latter bracket, a contact-spring and contact-plate 

